This World Relief case manager kept a diary for a week: here’s what he wrote. 

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Curious about the daily work of World Relief Spokane’s Resettlement Team? Here’s a unique opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at a typical week through the frontlines experience of a resettlement case manager.  Let’s join Matthew’s journey through this snippet of time in a refugee family’s experience, with their World Relief resettlement case manager alongside to guide them through the maze.     

Monday 

Monday mornings are always a hoot! Ask anyone in my department- even our Office Director, Christi would likely agree. The resettlement team meeting at 9 AM is the weekly roundup of what is to come.  

This week: there are 13 arrivals, over 60 people, this is one of our biggest weeks this year.  

We especially like Micah’s (Pre-arrival Coordinator) near-perfect mental recall to every detail of each family flying in. He seamless reports family names, how many members, how many kids and their ages, country of origin, arrival times… When he hesitated on one fact and had to check his computer, a colleague joked, “Notes, Micah?” (Micah never needs notes) to which he quipped, “Notes would be a strong word.”  This is often the highlight of the meeting. The beginning of our week. 

Today consisted entirely of preparing for all the folks arriving. For each of the ten new families we purchased groceries by coordinating with many volunteers, got car seats for younger kids, and organized temporary housing (often in a local motel/hotel) where permanent housing was not already in place. The day was over quickly, and the first family was welcomed at the airport that same night by a church group and staff members.   

The resettlement team’s “office hours” start at 6:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 a.m. We love it! 

Tuesday  

You learn a lot in this job – things you wouldn’t expect. For instance, I’ve mastered being on hold with the Social Security office while installing two infant car seats simultaneously. Good practice for when I have a kid of my own.  

Bakhite is 25, and a single mother of four. I am currently serving them as their case manager. I took her this morning to DSHS to apply for food benefits with her 1 y/o son, who stares at me at every opportunity he gets.  It must be my curly red hair.  He couldn’t have been more of a peach until… at the most crucial point of the interview before his mom was approved for benefits, he burst into tears to the point his mother couldn’t hear the interpreter on the phone who was assisting with the interview.  Unexpectedly, the interruption worked in her favor. The DSHS caseworker cut the meeting short, fast tracked the paperwork, and we were out the door twenty minutes faster than planned. Who would’ve guessed a crying baby could help his mama through an important interview?  

Wednesday 

Mild panic struck me this morning when my colleagues told me that the Hunas, my new family from Sudan, arrived with nothing but one backpack between the six family members. If it was summer, that is one thing.  Their flip flops would have been perfect. But for a Sudanese family in Spokane, winter essentials became an immediate priority.  

After waking the family from a very jet-lagged sleep, I introduced myself and told them briefly what World Relief Spokane would be doing with them, including immediately shopping for basics.  My list consisted of SUTS: Socks, Underwear, T-shirts and Shoes. Not having any kids myself, it took me a “few minutes” to get my bearings on sizes for these little girls under my care. I got one of them a pair of boots with silver stars… I loved her smile when she opened the box!  

As for the parents, I couldn’t tell if they were relieved or simply too tired to process everything, or anything. Either way, I wouldn’t have ended my day until each member of the family had their own SUTS. Mom and Dad thanked me.  

Thursday 

My day mostly consisted of taking the Huna family to the clothing bank. A simple task like this can go on for hours; so, I give myself the entire afternoon to accomplish our mission.  

Having waited in line in the cold, a first for the family I’m sure, I helped the dad pick out some good western shirts (think Wrangler) and slacks, while he and I both juggled getting his wife and kids all they needed. Their son John really liked tie dye shirts, so I perused the boy’s aisle with him until we found three that pleased him. It seems like they also acquired a newfound appreciation for wool socks.  Their youngest daughters looked adorable in their snow onesies, though I don’t know if they’ll really be able to put them to good use this winter.  

Friday 

A miracle happened today.  

Two families who had lived together in the same village in Sudan, and in the same camp in Ethiopia, were reunited in Spokane when they ended up as neighbors! The Hunas’ friends, the Wukos, had arrived through World Relief Spokane three months ago and had mentioned that their family would eventually be coming. However, we didn’t know anything official until laughter broke out this morning when they finally saw each other face to face.  It was beautiful to see them embrace, with the realization that all they had to do to see their friends was open their front doors… which face each other!  We had plenty of help that morning bringing furniture into their new home.  I smiled as I thought of the generous people who had donated the furniture, not knowing whose story would be impacted by their kindness.  

Miracles are not an everyday occurrence in the resettlement world, but we sometimes see how the work we do can truly be a vessel for unification.  

That’s why we do what we do – #refugeeswelcome 

Praise God. 

About the Author

Matthew Dallanegra works as a case manager at World Relief Spokane.